Colorado Agrovoltaic Learning Center presents agrivoltaics to Elbert County commissioners

Byron Com, executive director of the Colorado Agrovoltaic Learning Center, told the Elbert County Board of Commissioners at a March 19 work‑study that integrating agriculture with utility‑scale solar — commonly called agrivoltaics — can make small farms financially viable while producing power for nearby communities.

"I'm not here today to sell you on a product. We're... education," Com said, introducing Jack Solar Garden, his family farm in Boulder County where an 8‑acre portion hosts about 3,276 panels mounted on roughly 2,400 steel I‑beams. Com described the installation as a roughly 1.22 megawatt DC (about 960 kW AC) array that places panels across about five acres of panel area and, he said, produces roughly enough electricity for 300 homes.

Why it matters: counties across Colorado are receiving more proposals to site large solar arrays on farmland and rangeland. Com said agrivoltaic design can preserve or even improve forage and crop outcomes in some climates while providing landowners a steady lease revenue stream. He offered free local land‑use code guidance and technical assistance to help counties allow agricultural activities on leased solar land.

Project details and findings Com described Jack Solar Garden…